How to hire a student athlete

How to hire a student athlete, step by step

Here's a step-by-step student athlete hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a student athlete job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new student athlete
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a student athlete do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The student athlete hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A student athlete's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, student athletes from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents student athlete salaries for various positions.

   Type of Student Athlete	Description	Hourly rate
   Student Athlete	Coaches teach amateur or professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Scouts look for new players and evaluate their skills and likelihood for success at the college, amateur, or professional level... Show more	$12-37
   Coach	The main responsibility of a coach is to motivate an individual or an entire team. Coaches are focused on improving the performance and skills of athletes by conducting training sessions, coordinating practice drills, and providing guidance... Show more	$12-31
   Basketball Coach	A basketball coach is responsible for training players for school or basketball tournament leagues. A basketball coach prepares the players by providing them game techniques, developing their maximum potential through a series of practice and games... Show more	$13-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • NCAA
   • Teamwork
   • GPA
   • Championship
   • Soccer
   • Leadership
   • All-Conference
   • Saac
   • Softball
   • Mental Toughness
   • Volleyball
   • Community Services
   • Academic Support
   • Athletic Events

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage class schedule of all assign athletes and ensure that the student-athlete is maintaining the proper GPA.
   • Achieve national swimming championship honors.
   • Achieve all-conference honors junior and senior years
   • Initiate and manage community service, sportsmanship, nutritional and official NCAA programming for student-athletes
   • Provide championship and campus information for ACC website.
   • Oversee study hall, Champs/life skills, SAAC, and academic recovery programs.

   More student athlete duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the student athlete job description is a good way to get more applicants. A student athlete salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a student athlete in Kentucky may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level student athlete. Additionally, a student athlete with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average student athlete salary

   $45,705yearly

   $21.97 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level student athlete salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average student athlete salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$69,120	$33
   2	Massachusetts	$65,794	$32
   3	California	$61,318	$29
   4	District of Columbia	$61,208	$29
   5	Oregon	$55,896	$27
   6	Pennsylvania	$54,789	$26
   7	Virginia	$51,758	$25
   8	Michigan	$47,120	$23
   9	Colorado	$43,501	$21
   10	North Carolina	$43,488	$21
   11	Wisconsin	$41,036	$20
   12	Missouri	$40,505	$19
   13	Florida	$37,809	$18

   Average student athlete salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	UMass Lowell	$78,881	$37.92
   2	University of California	$60,404	$29.04
   3	Frostburg State University	$56,963	$27.39
   4	The City University of New York	$55,191	$26.53	8
   5	University of California-Berkeley	$54,837	$26.36
   6	Central College	$53,528	$25.73	3
   7	Virginia Commonwealth University	$47,875	$23.02	4
   8	University of Massachusetts Amherst	$46,931	$22.56
   9	Lindenwood University	$42,493	$20.43	8
   10	University of Pennsylvania	$41,520	$19.96	3
   11	San Jose State University	$41,196	$19.81	4
   12	Campbell University	$40,303	$19.38	1
   13	Coastal Carolina University	$40,138	$19.30	5
   14	Cornell College	$37,373	$17.97	2
   15	Compass Group USA	$36,393	$17.50	10

4. Writing a student athlete job description

   A job description for a student athlete role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a student athlete job description:

   Student athlete job description example

   Job Title: Student Athlete Advisor
   FLSA Status: Exempt
   Department: Athletics
   
   Position Responsibilities
   Assisting in developing and executing sales and marketing plans designed to grow Academy business for the sport Working closely with the sport director to create effective strategies for increasing enrollment Assisting in the day-to-day business related activities of the sport department as needed Identifying new opportunities for business development designed to increase Academy Program enrollment Hosting prospective families while on campus to learn about our Academy program Providing support and covering for other advisors including tours with prospective families, teams, groups and at times language translations Maintaining a thorough knowledge of IMG Academy's campus, including the IMG School, to maximize effectiveness of tours to prospective families Supporting and maintaining a high level of understanding of the four year model for the Academy program student-athlete Responsibility for the lifecycle of the enrollment process for Academy Program enrollments Demonstrating technical selling skills and product knowledge in all areas of the sport program Maintaining an accurate pipeline of prospective business and enrolled business Effectively managing the sport's Academy Program scholarship opportunities Properly and effectively using the necessary CRM software Determining customer needs and expectations while making expert recommendations to maximize the customer's experience Educating customers about terminology, features and benefits of sport programs Managing time effectively, meeting personal and company goals and working effectively with other members of the advisor team Attending regular Student-Athlete Advisor team meetings and supporting peers, as needed Maintaining close relationship with related departments on campus to ensure proper client transition from sale to participation Adhering to all company policies, procedures and business ethic codes Other duties as assigned
   
   Knowledge, Skills and Ability
   Bachelor's degree in an applicable field Experience with MS Office3 years of sales experience Track record of sales revenue Experience cold calling, following up on leads and generating pipelines Desire to work collaboratively with colleagues Excellent written and verbal communication skills Experience playing or coaching at the collegiate, club or professional level
   
   Preferred Skills
   Masters in an applicable field Bilingual
   
   Physical Demands and Work Environment
   Ability to lift, move, push and pull equipment or boxes in excess of 40 pounds Should be able to handle outdoor temperatures for a reasonable period of time Must be able to move around campus which includes gym, turf, fields, etc.Ability to work flexible hours to include nights, weekends and holidays is required
   
   Background Requirements
   Requires a background check upon offer Requires a drug check upon offer
   
   Endeavor is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right student athlete for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with student athletes they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit student athletes who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your student athlete job on Zippia to find and recruit student athlete candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit student athletes, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new student athlete

   Once you've selected the best student athlete candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new student athlete first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a student athlete?